Ethylfurfuryl ether, also known as 2-(ethoxymethyl)furan, is a known compound and is used as pharmaceutical and as food additive, in particular as flavour in food products. Application of ethylfurfuryl ether or other alkylfurfuryl ethers as blending component in a gasoline composition is not known.
WO 87/01384, for instance, discloses a gasoline composition comprising furfuryl alcohol. This however has the disadvantage of a low boiling point and lower stability. Yet further, U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,340 discloses a diesel fuel composition additionally comprising an adduct derivable from a series of dienes, of which one example is furfuryl methyl ether. It is known that by reacting furfuryl alcohol and an alkyl alcohol in the presence of a strong acidic catalyst, alkyllevulinate can be prepared. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,021, for example, is disclosed the esterification of furfuryl alcohol with a different alcohol in the presence of a strong acid catalyst such as hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide or oxalic acid. In WO 2007/023173 is disclosed the preparation of ethyllevulinate by reacting furfuryl alcohol and ethanol in the presence of a porous, strong acid ion-exchange resin catalyst.